Ironing apparatus



J. H. LEEF IRONING APPARATUS Feb, MM i195@ Filed NOV. l5, 1947 3She'ebS-Sheet l Feb., 1% H950 J. H. LEI-:F

IRONING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-She'et 2 Filed Nov. l5, 1947 Feb. M, i950 J.H. LEEF IRONING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. l5, 1947 PatentedFeb. 14, 1950 UNITED` STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,497,128 IRNNG APPARATUS J01m H. Leef, Minneapolis, Minn. Arpiieation November 15, i947, serialNo. '786,218

(ci. as-es) l Claim. l

My invention relates to garment ironing or pressing machines and moreparticularly to machimes incorporating a plurality or gang of indlvidu'al pressing or ironing devices.

The primary object of my invention is to pro vide a riov'el arrangementof a plurality of individual pressing devices to facilitate operation ofall thereof by a single operator.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of novel meansfor supplying the in'- dividual pressing units with fluid heating mediumand also with il-uid pressure for automatic operation of the units;

A still further object of my invention is the provision of novel.control means for successively operating the individual machines.

The above and still further' objects and advantages of my invention willbecome apparent from the following detailed specification, appendedclaim, and attached drawings.

Referring to the drawings wherein like chai actors indicate like partsthroughout the several views:

Fig. 1A is e,- plan of iny improved ironing niachine, some parts bei-'ngbroken away and some parts shown ih section;

Fig'. 2` is an enlarged sectionr taken substantially on the line 2 2 ofFig. l;

Fig. 3 is a still. further enlargedfragmentary section takenon the line3-3 of Fig'. 2; and

Fig.. 4 is an enlarged axial section taken through an improved centralmanifold utilized in connection with my invention.

Referring with'Y greater particularity to the f drawings, the numerall Iindicatesa circular track upon which is mounted for rotation. aturntable indicated in its entirety by the numeral 2`, and comprising anannular mounting plate 3 rei-nforced at its iririer edge by a dependingliang'e 4 and at its outer periphery by a depending l shaped dang-e 5.The turntable 2 is supported on the rail I by means of. rail-engagingwheels 6 journalled in lbe'arii'igf flanges T, Welded or otherwisesecured to the undersurfaxs'e oi the plate 3. y

The turntable 2 is'. further reinforced by radial arms 8 connected attheir outer ends thereto and at their inner ends' to a central fling' 9.

The turntable may beA retained` by any power-vdriven mechanism, butpreferably, and' as shown,

is power-driven. from a motor Illv and a `driving link chain Il. Thedriving' link chain Il ex-h tends around the turntable 2V andfrictionally' engages the same within a channel l2 formed by the outerperiphery or the annuiar plate 3 and the Leshap'ed frange 5; linki chainH over and is driven by a sprocket i3 mounted on a driving 'shaft I4journalled in a gear housing I5. The driving shaft is coupled to theshaft of the motor lil by means of gears, not shown, but containedWithin the gear housing I5. An idler pulley I6 isjouihalled in one endof a bell crank Il. The intermediate portion I8 is pivoted to a quadrantt9, which is rigidly secured to the gear housing i5,- A spring pressedpin and slot connection 2-0 on the bell crank I1 and quadrant I9 isutilized to lock the bel-l crank in a desired position. Movement of thebell crank I1 in one direction vwill move the idler pulley I6 intoengagement with the chain II whereby to increase the frict'ionalengagement therebetween and the base of the channel I2 for driving theturntable. Obviously, the movement of the bell crank Il in the oppositedirection will move the idler pulley I6 away from engagement with thechain II and Vallow the chain to Slip in the channel I2-` Mounted faston the top plate 3 is a plurality of circumferentially-spaced pressingor ironing devices 2l each having a relatively stationary pressingelement 22 and a relatively movable element 23. A-s shownin Fig. 2, thefixed elements 22 are mounted on pedestal-like bases 24 and the'relatively movable elements 23 are each pvoted to their respective bases24, as indicated at 25. Each movable element 23 is connected within itsbase 2L to the' outer end 2B of a piston'- eq-uipped plunger rod 21slidably mounted in a fluid pressure cylinder 28, which is hinged at oneend,` asv indicated at 29, to the pedestal 2'4. A coil compression'spring' 30 within each cylinder 258 biases the' movable element 23 inthe direc-v tionv of its cooperating relatively stationary element-22.

Each movable element 23 is adapted to be rho-ved away from itscooperating relatively `fixed element 22 against bias of the spring 3Uby fluid under pressure introduced into each cylinder 28 thi'ol'll'ghl acond-ult 3l. Each conduit 3l is connected to a S-way valve 32 secured tothe top plate 3 within each pedestal 24 by means ci a bracket 33.- The'valve 32 is of a conven-V tional t'ype and is operated by means of acrank ami 34. Crank' arm 34, inturn, is connected at itsfree end to alinl:Y 35 which, in turn, is pivotal-ly secured, as indicated at 36, tothe free end of a lever arn'r 3R The lever arni- 3l is in;V termediatelypivotally secured to a bracket' 38 fast' on the' under' side' of the toppla-te 3, as ini-- lower equipped lever 31 and link 35 for actuatingeach valve 32. The cam followers 4|, as indicated by dotted lines inFig. 3, are adapted to bear against the oor or ground adjacent thecircular track l, and to engage a segmental cam element 42, which isconcentric to the circular track l adjacent an operators station,indicated by broken lines in Fig. 1 and by the letter S. Crank arm 34,in turn, is connected at its free end to a link 35 which, in turn, ispivotally secured, as indicated at 36, to the free end of a lever arm31. The lever arm 31 is intermediately pivotally secured to a bracket 38fast on the under side of the top plate 3, as indicated at 39; and toits bifurcated free end 40, is journalled a cam follower wheel 4I. Itwill be understood that there is a separate cam follower equipped lever31 and link 35 for actuating each valve 32. The cam followers 4I, asindicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3, are adapted to bear against thefloor or ground adjacent the circular track I, and to engage a segmentalcam element 42, which is concentric to the circular track l, adjacent'an operators station, indicated by broken lines in Fig. 1 and =by theletter S.

Engagement of the wheel 4I by the cam element 42 positions the three-wayvalve 32 to allow fluid under pressure to be introduced into thecylinders 28, whereby to move the movable element 23 away from therelatively fixed element 22. Disengagement of the wheel 4l from the camelement 42, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 8, will position thevalve 32 so as to block fluid under pressure from the cylinder 28 and toallow fluid within the cylinder 28 to escape g to atmosphere through aport 32' in the valve 32. Exposure of the fluid interior of the cylinder28 to atmosphere will allow bias of the spring 30 within the cylinder 28to move the movable element 23 toward the relatively xed element f 22.Fluid under pressure is conducted to said 4valve 32 by fluid pressureconduit means hereinafter to be described.

Each of the relatively fixed ironing elements 22 is heated by a fluidheating medium such as live steam conducted to the interior thereoffro-m a source not shown through a downwardly-extending pipe 43 (coaxialto the track l and the turntable 2), an inlet manifold 44, and fluidheating medium transfer means in the nature of radially-projecting pipes45 leading one each from the inlet manifold 44 to one each of theelements 22. Condensate is removed from the elements 22 through radiallyinwardly projecting pipes 46 which terminate in an outlet manifold 41underlying and rigidly secured in spaced relationship to the inletmanifold 44 by means of circumferentially spaced legs 48. From thence,condensate is drained off through a fixed drain pipe 49.

Rotation of the turntable 2 causes common rotation of the manifolds 44and 41, due to the connections 45 and 46 therewith. The rotary manifolds44 and 41 are coupled to their respective xed pipes 43 and 49 iby meansof fluid tight swivel joints 50 and 5|. The swivel joints 50 and 5l areof conventional type and, as shown, comprise a male element 52 swivelledwithin a female element 53 and held therein by an annular retaining nut54. It will be seen, particularly by reference to Figs. 2 and 4, thatthe female element of the swivel joint 5l is connected to a pipe T 55. Anipple 56 and an elbow 51 connect the pipe T to the drain pipe 49. Itwill be further seen, by reference to Figs. 1, 2, and 4,

that the pipes 45 and 46 are circumferentially spaced about theperipheral portions of the manifolds 44 and 41 respectively.

Fluid under pressure is conducted through the 5 several three-way valves32 from a common source of pressure not shown through a fixed conduit 58which terminates in the female element 59 of a swivel joint 60 directlyunderlying the T joint 55. A rotary conduit 6I is rigidly secured at itslower end to the male element 62 of the swivel joint 6U and extendsaxially upwardly through the T joint 55, the swivel joint 5l, and theoutlet manifold 41, to the upper wall of which it is rigidly secured bymeans of welding or the like, as indicated at 63. Leakage is preventedbetween the lower end of the pipe T and the rotary conduit 6I by apacking gland 64. The extreme upper end of the rotary conduit 6|projects through the top wall of the outlet manifold 41 and is rigidlyconnected to a radially extending conduit 65 by means of an elbow or thelike 66. The conduit 65 is connected to the several three-way valves 32by connections including an annular conduit 81 and branch lines 68.

The operation of my novel structure is generally as follows: A singleoperator may position himself at the operators station S. As each ironerapproaches the operators station, the cam follower wheel 4I associatedtherewith, is engaged by the cam element 42, with the result that thethree-way valve is positioned to allow fluid under pressure to enter thecylinder 28 and move the movable member 23 away from the relativelyfixed member 22. The pressing machine is then in a position to allow theoperator to remove pressed clothing therefrom and/or to put unpressedclothing thereon. As each cam follower wheel 4l leaves the cam element42, it assumes the dotted line position indicated in Fig- 3, allowingfluid to escape from the interior of the cylinder 28 through itsassociated valve 32 to atmosphere; and bias of the spring 39 moves themovable element 23 into contact with the garment which 45 has beenplaced on the relatively xed element 22. The speed of rotation of theturntable is such that the portion of the garment between the elements22 and 23 will be completely ironed as the ironer again approaches theoperators sta- 50 tion. As the follower wheel 4l again engages the camelement 42, the movable element 23 is moved away from the relativelyfixed element 22, thus leaving the ironer in a condition for an operatorto move the garment thereupon or to remove it 55 from the ironeraltogether and apply another garment thereto.

My invention has been thoroughly tested and found to be completelyadequate for accomplishment of the objectives set forth; and, while Ihave 60 shown a commercial form of the invention, it will be understoodthat the same is capable of modication without departure from the spiritand scope of the invention as defined in theclaim.

What I claim is:

A coupler for connecting each of a plurality of pressing machinesmovably mounted on a circular track to independent relatively fixedsources of supply of fluid under pressure and a drain, said pressingmachines each comprising a relatively fixed and relatively movablepressing element, one of which elements is adapted to be heated by afluid heating medium, and fluid pressure operated means for moving themovable pressing element in one direction with respect to itscooperating relatively xed element, said coupler being coaxial with saidtrack and comprising axially aligned rotatable inlet and outletmanifolds rigidly secured together in closely spaced relationship, a xedinlet pipe axially aligned with and overlying said inlet manifold, afixed drain pipe underlying said outlet manifold and axially alignedtherewith, uid tight swivel joints connecting each oi said manifoldsWith its adjacent fixed pipe, said manifolds each having a plurality ofports adapted to be in communication one each with a pressing element oneach of said machines, a rotary iiuid pressure conduit extending axiallythrough said outlet manifold and drain pipe, a second fixed inlet pipeand a uid tight swivel joint connecting the lower end of Said rotaryconduit to said second nxed inlet pipe, said rotary conduit terminatingin the space between said manifolds for connection to said fluidoperated means.

JOHN H. LEEF.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

